The ladies masters athletes from the SMTFA competing at the Flash Athletic Meet in Oct at the Bishan Stadium.

3/26/2016

Bukit Batok – What is this by election all about?

This by
election is not about the SDP or the PAP. It is not about Chee Soon Juan or Murali.
It is about the political system, about a democratic political system for the
good of the people. The track record of
the PAP was good but I am not sure what would become of Singapore and the Singaporeans with the
policies of recent years. The impact of govt policies would take a longer time
to gestate and to show up the faults. Our two child policy, education policy,
the lack of talents for the market despite all the crowing about how good our
education and planning were, the low population growth, the need to bring in
plane loads of rubbish from all over the world, the recent problems caused by
bad policies in housing, in the train system, the high cost of living that we
have to live with, and our CPF savings, just to name a few.

We have yet
to reap the full force of policy errors while we still benefiting and blinded
from the good policies of the past leaders. Like in economics, the supply and
demand curves will intersect and go different ways thereafter.

The
intrinsic problems that we are living with and the state of denials in
violating age old wisdom and throwing caution to the winds will extract a heavy
price when the time comes. Let me just rattle a few of these wisdom, not in any
order of merits or importance

A democracy
needs two relatively strong political parties to check and balance each other
and to provide an alternative govt if one falters or turns rogue. We don’t have
this comfort and cushion to protect the system and the people with a one
dominant party. Anyone telling you that a one dominant party is what we need is
just a salesman selling his wares.

Do not put
all your eggs in one basket. We know the moral of such a saying. We cannot put
all our hopes and faith in one political party. You want to believe in a person
telling you to put all your eggs in one basket?

Power
corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. You think there will be exceptions,
and if there is, will the exception be forever? It will not last the test of
time. No man is infallible.

Historically,
powers entrenched would lead to abuses, to protect self interests, to exist for
its own sake. Nearly every civilized country would have checks and control on
their political system to prevent the entrenchment of power by any group or
individual. There is wisdom in such a precaution. Only those from IMH would
believe that entrenchment of power over a long period of time is a good thing.

Do not let
anyone deceive you by saying the above are ok, nothing wrong, and in Singapore’s context, it is unique and these
are uniquely good for us.

Bukit Batok
by election is a small step to make amends to the colossal mistake the people
made in the last GE, to give the PAP such an overwhelming winning margin, like
giving it a blank cheque to do what it likes, a vote of over confidence. Many must
be regretting the outcome not because the PAP is bad, but it is bad for the
country, bad for a democratic political system, bad for checks and control, bad
for the people.

It can only
be good if you believe that man is infallible and all the good men are in the
ruling party.

This by
election is to correct this major mistake, to take a few seats back for the opposition
parties, it is not about the SDP, but any opposition party, to increase the
opposition representation in parliament to moderate the big majority of the
ruling party. There must be bigger opposition representation in parliament and
this is just a small step towards that direction.

The voters
must wise up to make sure that in the next GE more opposition candidates are
voted into parliament to avoid the present state of having an over dominant
ruling party in charge. This by election should do that, to get in another
opposition candidate to parliament. Another opposition candidate would not
change the govt or create a tsunami to destroy the system. If it can, then this
ruling party is not worth to be the ruling party. But it would give the people
a bigger voice to check on the govt, to speak out for the people and to present
alternative views on what can be good for the people.

Put aside
all the differences, the main issue is greater opposition representation. Do
not ignore the age old sages and their wisdom on absolute power, on
entrenchment of power, on the basic principles of a democracy, on separation of
power.

You are
voting for the future of your children. Do not mortgage their future away.

19 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Grassroots joke---------------------Flying to Beijing from Singapore, a Singaporean noticed that, although the flight was a particularly smooth one, the "Fasten Seat Belts" sign stayed illuminated throughout the entire trip. Just before landing, he asked the SIA stewardess about it ...

"Well," she explained, "up front there are 17 PAP male MPs going to Beijing on a cultural exchange."

"At the back, there are 25 female PAP grassroots aunties on a PA sponsored holiday. What do you want us to do ... you tell me lah?"

Rb, nice try though I agreed with u. I think the large pap majority just make it almost impossible for sdp to win. Most sinkies are just municipal voters and they viewed the mp as the estate manager like living in the condo. Even the young Uni educated surprising view the same way. Bo Bian

RB. U think Csj can get into so many subjects u listed on your main text? I attended Csj s rally, i did not find he speak in details about any of them. His word is "democracy", then he spoke about his pathetic past caused by others, not his responsibility.

If voters from this Buttock constituency would want to vote for him, they have to clear the doubts on his speeches. How much does Csj know about CPF? Medical subsidies that people want? Jobs for the old people both pmet and non pmet who need to pay for the inadequate CPF? etc

Buttock town is about living day to day. There are few luxury. Dont believe me? Go stand there in the evening at mrt station:the most popular stalls are the cheapest in price stalls. It is a typical sg town. The mp must be good at helping the Poor people, not the rich in condo. Is Csj capable on this?

Be realistic about Csj, he did not spend time on how to deal with the aging crowd, how to let them live independently while pap stole their rice bowls giving to people from philipines, india dn prc. eg He did not show his research on key subjects like Jobs being taken away by S passes and E passes, he did not speak on medical issues.

One point about SDP on Paul s medical plan. SDP created awarness about a plan. The plan was hijacked. It was diverted to whether sg could pay for the bill. Paul was put to defense, money was enough. What was the plan?

Csj hardly talks about his plans to voters. People went rallies, they could only know oh this guy was pitiful lah. What else?

This is SDPs habit. They talk about something which voters dont find useful.

On the other hand, the pap candidate spends 15 years running around the Buttock places, Csj can beat him on the details?Csj should be rational enough to pass the chance to Paul. To raise the % of winning chance to 40%. Csj is likely to get below 40%.

Rb // It is about the political system, about a democratic political system for the good of the people.//

Uncle RB, One cannot hope doing the same things, failed and repeat the same methodology again and again and failed again and again in the last 50 years .........?

Old man already related to Deng Xiao Ping in 1978, during the latter's visit to sinkieland, that its stocks are almost all of the lowest quality from the then Southern China proletariat communities subsisting as labourers, peasants, illiterate. ......?

Giant intellectuals like the learned RB, Aung Juan Soon Chee, and even in the last GE the heartlanders Teochew Ah Pek and his Co tried "duck language" talk with the 70% "chicken language" sinkies ........ and what happened?

Check and balance, Democratic ideas and ideals, ( pressing need for more ) opposition representation ( in parliament ) may be hollow language to the majority 70% sinkies ( especially on the dining tables and fulfillment of their tangible needs ) safe for at most the ( hapless and politically aware ) 30%?

Yes, the message may be wise and sound but "useless" or futile if not or somehow not "going into the ears and brains" of the "讲zhua zee or tangibles-fixated" 70% sinkies ......?

More of such calling ( on democratic strengths and ideals ) may have maxed out reaching the 30% or so sinkies and the rest may not be "RECEPTIVE" of such messages regardless of the "soundness" of the logic ......?

Perhaps, for examples, tell Buttock-ians if they are in charge, every month their workers will washed each block twice instead of once bcos the 30 days time gap is too far apart .......? Imagine each individual one week bath one time?

In Mt Buttock's, PROBABLY many shelters along walkways are not "properly designed and constructed"; many residents ended still being "splashed with rain water" and if in charge, they will remedy such faults ..... etc?

Instead of DEMOCRATIC IDEAS AND IDEALS, the mundane but genuine ( problems and ) needs that 70% of Buttock-ians are facing month in month out MAY MATTER more to them ......?

Time to "wise up" to the realities of what old man told Deng Xiao Ping in 1978 about the ( quality of the majority ) population stocks in sinkieland?

If you want to know everything in CSJ's mind and plans, you need to spend at least a month talking to him and listening to him. And what can you expect him to do when he is not in the govt. Even people in the govt are working very hard on the wrong things.

Anon 11:48amI do not have interest in CSJ. My believe is impact on other s life. An individual will have + or - impact on his and other s lives on what he DOES.

Csj wants to be mp, he has to have heavier impact on others lives. Contemporary politicians must have proven records on impacting others lives, Csj has none after so many years. He had impact on CST and also some fellows in opposition camp. We know how his stand now.

There are so many people on streets, i rather talk to some kids and strangers than to talk to someone who keep repeating how things happened to HIM.

However there are people who dont share my points. When they cast their votes, they tend to agree with my points explained above.Csj must work for others to benefit others to create impact, not talking or writing books about himself.Give the chance on by election away to someone else, if he finds Paul might grab his seat as some ex sdp guy alleged. Csj cannot make it to 40%.

Now is the time to say "No more" to Innocent Angel-like kiddies deaths in Mt K K?

Now is the time to say "No more" to unnecessary and "murderous" deaths of future Dominic during NS by "ROGUE" commanders throwing excessive numbers of "life-threatening" quantity of smoke grenades in a small enclosed area? ( mb can use the 2 commanders as experiment to prove how serious and toxic it is to be trapped in an enclosed room with 600 smoke grenades detonated under the "pretext of NS training" ? This is akin to "murder" ? )?

Now is the time to tell the AssLEEtoecracks that their population policy is literally leading the City of Sin to sin and sink?

Now is the time to tell Lao Goa his own self check own self appraisal has led to the total failure and abandon ship of project "GOAL 2010"?

Now is the time to tell the Paper ( brain ) generals that the real world is unlike the regimental unreal top down command in the military and their foray into civilian work and business have caused tremendous loss, hardships and deaths to the people?

The happenings in the Ang Mo Kio Town Council are outrageous. I am not going to elaborate as the details are everywhere. The similarities be...

Headphones

Electronics

ebay

Disclaimer

As owner of this blog, I bear no responsibility to what other contributors/bloggers may post. I encourage all to speak freely without indulging in libel or defamatory content. Anyone who feels offended by any posting can email me and I will remove the offending article if appropriate. Contact me at redbeansg@yahoo.com